An adaptive bit rate (ABR) server in a content delivery network (CDN) encodes a content item into multiple streams of different bit rates, with each stream being divided into sequential segments of a given duration (e.g. 2-10 seconds). The ABR server may transmit a manifest file to user devices in a home via a gateway device, such as a home router. The manifest file lists the segments of the content item, the different bit rates at which each segment has been encoded, e.g. different adaptive bit rate profiles for the segment, and a network identifier for accessing each segment, e.g. a uniform resource locator (URL). A user device may request individual ABR segments from the ABR server at the bit rate that is appropriate for the user device, e.g. based on network bandwidth conditions and device capabilities that are determinable by the user device. However, there can be latency and bandwidth requirements associated with a user device requesting ABR segments of a different bit rate to be sent from the ABR server when conditions change.